Hair curler



May 26, 1953 H. soLLowAY ETAL 2,639,720

HAIR CURLER Filed-Aug. 20,1949

40 lllll' mlugjm:

, INVENTORS f7 BY ai@ Patented May 26, 1953 OFFICE HAIR CURLER Harry Solloway and Teoiil L. Bonkowski, Los Angeles, Calif.

yApplication August 20, 1949, Serial No. 1115472 5 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for the' curling or waving of hair and is directed particularly toward apparatus which is intended to be used in imparting a permanent wave to the hair.

` It is the principal object of our invention to provide an apparatus for curling the hair which is simple in construction and easily manipulated by an unskilled operator.

Another object of our invention is to provide an apparatus for curling the hair which may be withdrawn from the strand of hair without unwinding the curl.

Another object of our invention is to provide an apparatus ofthe character described in which there is no danger of hair becoming snagged or snarled.

Other objects and advantages of our invention Vwill appear from the followlng-detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of curler embodying the invention.

1Figure 2I is a side elevation of the invention, partly in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form ofv the hair-engaging means.

Referring now to the drawings, our invention includes a mandrel generally designated lil, substantially cylindrical in cross-section. Carried on the mandrel IU and integral therewith are a plurality of longitudinal ribs I I, uniformly curved at one end and terminating at that end in the flange I2 which is also integral with mandrel I0. A relatively short mandrel shaft I3, provided with a flange It at the end thereof, is carried axially of the mandrel and integral with the flange I2.

A journal head I5, substantially U-shaped in transverse section, is provided with seat IS in which mandrel shaft I3 is journaled. Longitudinal motion of the mandrel with respect to the journal head I5 is prevented by means of shoulder il against which flange I2 abuts and shoul- Yder IB against which flange I4 abuts. The legs I5 and 263 of journal head I5 are provided with apertures 2| and 22.

Means are provided to restrict free rotational movement of the mandrel Il! in the journal head I5, and as shown best in Figure 4 this means may include pawl 23 in hood portion 2t of the journal head I5. The pawl 23 may engage in any one of a plurality of depressions 25 each located centrally between a pair of adjacent terminating ribs I I and around the periphery of the flange I2. An annular slit 26 is provided in the journal head I5 so that the hood portion 24 is separated therefrom, thus allowing a degree of spring action in the hood portion 24. These means provide a ratchet eiiect, and hence rotational movement of the mandrel I0 may be accomplished only through application of substantial torque to the mandrel I0.

Means are provided to lock the hair on the mandrel I0 and to retain the curler in position on the head, vand as shown in the drawings this means may include locking bar 21 pivotally connected to the journal head I5 by means of lugs 23 and oppositely disposed base member apertures y2I and 22. The phantom lines in Figure 1 illustrate the locking bar 21l in partially open position. Locking elements 23 and 3G are provided on the locking bar 21 and, when the locking bar 21 is closed, engage in the depression formed between a pair of adjacent ribs Il, thus securely locking the mandrel I0 against rotational movement, The end of the locking bar 21 is curved to form a spring latch member 3 I which when engaged with the rounded end portion 32 of the mandrel I0 acts to maintain the curler in closed, position. It should be noted that due to the manner in which the ribs I I are curved the locking element 29 will, when the locking bar 21 is being closed, engage between two adjacent ribs II before locking element 30 will so engage, thus providing a form of prelocking means,

Hair-engaging means are provided on the mandrel IB, and as shown in the drawings this may include a plurality of teeth 33 carried on an elongated plate 34 integral with the mandrel I0. The teeth 33 are inclined atan angle pointing toward the end portion 32 of themandrel so as to present no resistance when the curler is longitudinally withdrawn from the curled strand of hair. In order that withdrawal of the curler maybe even more facilitated, means are provided for retracting the teeth 33, and as shown in Figure 2 this mat7 include the slot 35 in the mandrel I0. The` cross-sectional area of the' plate 34 is relative1ysma11in-tneporuonroward the aange l2; thus providing a spring action and. hence allowing the teeth 33 to be retracted into the slot 35, as shown by the phantom lines in Figure 2, when pressure is exerted thereon.

Figure 5 illustrates a modified form of hairengaging means. Here the plate 36 is not integral with the mandrel but is formed as a separate structure. The plate 36 is held in the longitudinal slot 31 in mandrel 38 by means of ears 39 and 40 which abut shoulders 4I and 42 in the mandrel 38. Spring members 43 and 44 integral with the plate 36 allow the teeth 45 to be retracted into the slot 31 when pressure is exerted thereon. Longitudinal movement of the plate 3G is prevented by means o f the shoulder 43 against which the en d 41. of plate 36 abute and aperture 48 into which the end portion i9 of spring member 44 projects.

The method for using the above described apparatus is as follows:

The locking bar 21 is disengaged4 from the mandrel l so that the mandrel laisfree to rotate on the exercise of suicient torque to overcome the engagement of pawl Z3 inthe depression siA 245,. A strand of hair is separated and the en'd'the'reof is engaged in the teeth 33. The journal head l5 is held stationary with one hand while the mandi'el l 0 is rotatedv so as to ourlthe, strand of hair.

about the mandrel. When the, desired amount of hair has'been curled upon the mandrel the' locking bar 2l is closed, thus Securing the ourler in place on the head. The hood portion 2:1,l insures against the possibility of any strayA strand of hair. being caught 0r snarled between the end. portion ofthe mandrel and the adjacentV portion of the. journal head. When the curl has been setl for the desired length of; time, removal of the. curler.

is accomplished by opening the locking bar 2,1 and sliding the curler laterally from the curl, thus leaving the strand; ofurled hair. intact. The teeth 33,01Ter practically. no resistance to the withdrawal of the curler due` to their angular inclination and to the fact that` when the curl is held by the fingers suicient force is @Xlted to retract the teeth 33 into the, mandrel slot 35.

While we have shown and described a specific embodiment of our invention, We do not limit ourselves to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents ofthe parts and their formation and arrangerlr-1entV4 as come within the purview of the appended claims;

We claim:

1 As an article ofmanutacture, a' hai-r curling. apparatusl comprising: a journal head, amandrelhaving a shaft journaled,l in said; journal head, said mandrel being, relatively uniform in; cross;- section and having a plurality ofI longitudinal ribs angularly disposed` thereon and integral therewith, and a locking bar. pivotally connected to said journal head, said lockingl bar having a locking element adjacent each end.: thereof adapted to engage the depression formed by any two adjacent ribs.

2. As an article. ofv manufacture, a hair. curling apparatus comprising: a journal head, a mandrel having a shaft at one end: thereofjournaled in said journal head, said mandrel being relatively uniform in cross-section and having a plu,- rality of longitudinal ribs angularly disposed about the periphery thereof, a lockingr bar;l pivotally' connected.Y to saidjournal head,y said locking barY having locking elements adjacent both ends thereof adapted to engage in a depression formed drel and having, means toerigage said locking for- '4 by any two adjacent ribs, the ribs adjacent the journal head curving outwardly whereby the locking element adjacent the pivoted end of said locking bar will engage in said depression before the locking element adjacent the free end of said locking bar.

3. As an article of manufacture, a hair curling apparatus comprising: a journal head; a mandrel journaled in said.l journal head and;y having depressions i-n one end and longitudinally extending ribs; a pawl on said journal head cooperating with said depressions on said mandrel to restrict free rotational motion of said mandrel with respect to said base member; and a locking member g pvotally. connected to said journal head and adapted to cooperate with said ribs to lock the mandrel againstrqtational motion.

4L As Van article of'manufacture, a hair curling apparatus comprising: a journal head; a mandrel journaled in said journal head for axial rotation therein and: having an extended free end; hood means covering. thejuncture between said journal head' and mandrel "to, prevent snarling of hair. between said journal head 'andv said mandrel; hair-engaging means on said mandrel, said hairengaging. means including. a plurality of teeth disposed at an angle pointing toward the free end of said mandrel, said teeth being. retractable into a slot in said mandrel j and alocvkmg barpivotally connected to. said journal headl andA extendable over the. free. end of said mandrel, said locking bar. adapted to look the mandrel against rotational motion andl to contain, a. strand of hair which may be curled aboutsaid mandrel.

5. As an article of manufacture, a hair curling apparatus comprising: a jpurnal head; a mandrel journaled'in said journal'head for axial rotation therein and having a longitudinal slot and longitudinally extending locking formations, the end of said mandrel remote from said journal head being free.; hair-,engaging means on said mandrei, said. hair-engaging means including a spring plate setv in Said slot, the plate carrying a plurality. of hair-engaging teeth directed 'toward the free end of said mandrel and normally extending exteriorly of said slot but adapted toberetracted into said slot upon the application of a force sufficient to deflect the spring. plate; and a locking member pivotally connected to said journal head and adapted. tofit over thefree. end of said manmations thereby toY lock the mandrel against rotational motion.

HARRY SOLLOWAY. 

